Texas Skate Jam 2014 at Southside Skatepark
Posted
on
on Wednesday, November 12, 2014
by Paul
Are Texas Plants Bigger in Texas?
By Paul Zitzer Video footage is great and everything, BUT. There’s a list of reasons it’s also not. You can’t ever tell how gnarly the spots are, you don’t know how many tries it took anyone to make anything, and the energy can be lost due to something as common as a bad song choice. That’s why seeing (and doing) real live skateboarding beats even the best video part any day of the week. Case in point: the Texas Skate Jam at Southside Skatepark in Houston. It’s been going down for 18 years now, and during that time has raised over $100,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which arranges experiences for kids with life threatening medical conditions. And a huge thanks to Deluxe, Circa, Baker/Deathwish, Nike, Skate Trash, Vans, and Curb Slayer for supporting something that’s really really worth supporting by lining up promo gear and sending out dudes on their teams. Which brings us back to the live skateboarding. The bowl jam was nuts and video could never capture the vibe, no offence to our SPoT Life episode on RIDE. Here are things we talked about afterword. Ben Raybourn. He didn’t spend much time in the bowl but he didn’t need to. Everything he does is pure gold. Backside disaster handouts to frontside revert are one of a kind and he’s got tricks like that, back-to-back, for days. Tristan Funkhouser looks like a 12 year old and skates like a 23 year old but is somewhere in between I think. 17? He did Texas proud with THE gnarliest Texas plant that has ever been done. If I’m wrong send me a link to one that’s gnarlier. Please. He took it six feet out of the deep end of the bowl, on the Southside sign that’s set back a good two feet from the lip, wall jam style, beyond and then some. Nolan Johnson showed up looking like some type of Technicolor hobo and proceeded to do the best invert of the entire weekend on the first wall of his first run in the super heated session. He also did a Phillips 66 in the shallow which I would have told you without a doubt is not possible at all before I’d seen it. If you don’t know what a Phillips 66 is you haven’t been watching enough episodes of Grosso’s Love Letters. Maybe you’ve been out skating. Moving on, Daniel Vargas doesn’t need tricks, his style could get him wherever he’s going, but that didn’t stop him from taking a lipslide around the corner, down the street to the grocery store, and back. Twice. BTW, if you didn’t know, the Welcome team rules it. Big ups also to Chris Gregson. He’s a Blood Wizard who filmed half of Extremely Sorry and is also one of the best bowl skaters in the world: frontside flip to disaster to BACKSIDE Revert. He also took three heavy slams, including a couple collisions in less than five minutes. Oh, and Auby Taylor padded up and learned inverts, but not after over rotating two of them to full back splat. Back to the street course, a few things to note: Shep Dawg Taylor Kirby looks like he’s probably pretty good based on video parts that are out there. See him live and you’ll freak. SO good. Tre flip 5050 on the rail? Yes. Moving on, Brazilians can all nollie and pop switch tricks higher than skaters in any other country, including the country of Texas, studies have shown. Tiago Lemos and Carlos Iqui proved this again. Auby Taylor again, he’s even better than that amazing Krooked part he just had on Thrasher. Fakie flip a bump to bar? Fakie flip back tail a rail? Fakie flip back lip? Boom boom boom. Lastly, Jack Olson won Tampa Am last year for a reason, and it’s apparent whenever he skates. He’s coming back for it this year and we just might see the only other repeat since Luan did it. He also threw down a kickflip front blunt shove it on the handrail. First or second try. After the live bit was over it was back to video with the premier of the Southside 20 Year Anniversary video. The video is amazing without even having to say “for a local video.” Yeah Houstonians! Oh, and Raybourn has a full part, entirely filmed at Southside. They’re killing the game out there in Texas, and I’m sure the spots are gnarlier than they looked. Honorable mention of the weekend goes to Internet celebrity Chris #Mango Millic who somehow maintained a very low profile despite wearing turquoise pants. Video by Jean-Luc Vida Words and photos by Marino Nicastro
Marino Nicastro
The SPoT team loaded up the van for another trip to Southside Skatepark for the 18th annual Make A Wish Texas Skate Jam. We had a lot of new heads in the van who had never been to Texas before, so we were in for treat.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Nick Boserio
Things were heating up nicely and the crowd was piling in as people started warming up.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Ben Raybourn
The first event was the bowl jam, lots of hungry eyes.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Ben Raybourn
Ben Raybourn is a Texas local and always a fan favorite. Holding this Eggplant.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Chris Gregson
Chris Gregson shreds the bowl. Look at that kickflip in the deep end!
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Nick Boserio
Lannie Rhoads hanging out with Nick Boserio. Zero’s Cold War was so sick thanks to these guys.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Hollywood Martinez
Hollywood Martinez grabbing these kickflips every try.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Daniel Vargas
Daniel Vargas from the Welcome team was using these nosegrabs to work his was around the bowl and get speed.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Who Dat?
Who Dat? Backside Boneless on the wall.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Brian Schaefer
Brian Schaefer was offering bucks for tricks but the real prize was $100 for a Texas Plant on the wall.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Tristan Funkhouser
Tristan Funkhouser of T-Funk took home the cash! Texas Plant on the wall to end the bowl jam... Holy shit, that was crazy to watch.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
James Hardy
After the bowl jam, people took a break to walk around outside. I caught Real team riders James Hardy and Robbie Brockell hanging out. Thanks for bring out so many people from the team.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Daniel Vargas
The Welcome team also came out, those dudes are pretty unique.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Theotis Beasley
Nike was having a signing outside to finish things up. I spy Theotis Beasley.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
James Cobb
James Cobb, our very own team rider was inside starting off the bump to bar best trick. Full Cab over the bump.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Taylor Kirby
Taylor Kirby with a BS bigflip.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Tiago Lemos Soares
Tiago Lemos from Brazil was doing the craziest tricks! Switch front feeble pop over.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Tristan Funkhouser
T-Funk made his way onto the podium with the fast plant fingerflip.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Auby Taylor
Auby Taylor won 1st place with the fakie flip.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Brian Schaefer
Outside Schaefer and the Baker Boys Tent were raffling off signed boards for charity.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Erik Ellington
Ellington and Theotis holding it down for Deathwish and Baker.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Jim Thiebaud
Jim Thiebaud at the Spitfire tent. Don’t mess with him!
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Cody McEntire
The final event was happening inside: best trick down the stair set and handrail. Another Texas local, Cody McEntire - switch flip back lip.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Ryan Thompson
Ryan Thompson - fakie front 50-50 across and down. He’s another Texas local and has been to Tampa Am contest. He continues to do the most insane tricks.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Jack Olson
Jack Olson kickflipped into every single trick down this handrail for best trick. That's a kickflip front blunt.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Taylor Kirby
Tre Flip 50-50 done perfectly by Taylor Kirby.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Jack Olson
Switch flip blunt to switch. Jack won best trick with out a doubt. We hope to see you here in Tampa next month to win Tampa Am again.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Nick Boserio
Bump-to-bar best trick lineup.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Jack Olson
Stairset and handrail best trick lineup.
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro
Marino Nicastro
The 18th annual Texas Skate Jam is a wrap and it went down perfectly. It wouldn’t be possible without the help from our judges; Scuba Steve, Jake Donnelly, James Hardy and Eric Mckenney. Also a big thank you to Paul Zitzer and Brian Schaefer for announcing all day and keeping the crowd entertained. See you all at Tampa Am!
Date:
November 12, 2014
Photographer: Marino Nicastro